Door check



Feb. 28, 1939. 5, LA v, RUNKLE 2,149,074

DOOR CHECK Filed Feb. 15, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ,ZZQ. 1

Feb. 28, 1939. G g v RUNKLE 2,149,074

DOOR CHECK Filed Feb. 13, 1957 2 She ets-Sh eet 2 Patented Feb. 28, 1939UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DOOR CHECK George La Verne Runkle, Freeport,Ill., assignor to Henney Motor Company, Freeport, 111., a corporation ofDelaware Application February 13, 1937, Serial No. 125,595

20 Claims. (CI. 16-85) This invention relates to a new and improved doorcheck.

The conventional door check provided on motor vehicles is designed foruse with doors swingable only through approximately that amount ofmovement being sufiicient for most practical purposes in the loading andunloading of passengers. However, on hearses and ambulances, andundertakers service cars, as well as on other vehicles, such as deliverytrucks, it is desired to have the back door swingable through much morethan 90, and it therefore becomes a problem to provide a practical formof check for such a door. It is the principal object of my invention toprovide a door check specially designed to accommodate nearly doormovement and afford a stiff spring resistance to movement of the doorwhen it reaches a point near the limit of its opening movement, wherebyto relieve the hinges of sudden shocks and strains.

Another object is to provide a door check formed by two toggle linkswhich, while they are arranged to unfold in the opening of the door tocheck its movement, are further proportioned and arranged so as to foldcompactly in a plane approximately parallel to the inside of the doorwhen the door is closed, whereby to avoid striking or interfering withobjects inside the vehicle that may be placed rather close to the door,as for example, a casket in a hearse.

Still another object is to provide a rubber bumper on the door check solocated with respect to the pivotal connection between the two linksthereof and the door hinge that it serves by compression between thelinks in the closed position of the door as an anti-rattle, and servesby engagement with the hinge in the opening of the door to preventmetal-to-metal contact between the door check and hinge and therebysilence as well as further cushion the operation of the door check.

A further object is to provide a door check having a screw adjustment bymeans of which the device can be readily adjusted to suit therequirements of any given installation and operate most efficiently.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure l is a horizontal section showing the hinged edge of a door andthe adjacent pillar or post, looking down on the hinge therefor and theassociated door check of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a face View of the door check as it appears in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing bered l and 8 arerespectively the door and pillar, but it will soon be apparent that sofar as the operation of the door check of my invention is concerned, itis immaterial whether I is the door and 8 the pillar, or vice versa; thedoor check will operate the same either way. At 9 are indicated theknuckles of a conventional butt hinge, and I 0 is the pintle thereofwhich provides the axis on which the hinge members II and [2 arerelatively movable. The hinge shown may be the middle one of threehinges, the door check of my invention being preferably provided inconnection with that hinge, for obvious reasons. The device, generallyspeaking, is made up of two toggle links l3 and I4 pivotally connectedtogether at 15 and having pivotal connection with the door and pillar atl6 and I1, respectively. The pivots l6 and I! are provided by pinsentered through ears l8 in the attaching plates I 9 and 20 suitablysecured to the door and pillar, respectively, by screws 2|. The link I3is in the form of a bowed leaf-spring curled at the ends to provideknuckles 22 and 23 to receive the pivot pins l5 and I6, respectively.The link I4 is a rigid member made up of a tubular part 24, the bore 25of which is threaded to receive the reduced threaded stem 26 on thegooseneck 21 forming the other part of the link I4. Ashackle 28 isformed on the outer end of the part 24 to receive the end of theleaf-spring l3 and has the pivot pin l5 passed therethrough to pivotallyconnect the parts together. This shackle also provides a recess 29 for arubber bumper block 30 in such close proximity to the pivot l5 that thebumper will be pinched between the parts when they fold in the closingof the door, as illustrated in Fig. 1. This same bumper will also comeinto engagement with the hinge knuckles when the door is opened, asillustrated in Fig. 3.

In operation, in the first instance (Fig. 1) the bumper 30 serves mainlyto keep the parts of the folded door check under tension so that theywill not be loose and free to rattle when the hearse or other vehicle onwhich the device is mounted is in motion, and, of course, since thecompression of the bumper block occurs in the closing of the door, acertain amount of cushioning action is also secured, partly by thecompression of the bumper block itself and partly by the flexing of theleaf-spring l3 incident thereto. When the door check is folded, as inFig. 1, it takes up very little room inside the vehicle and isnt apt toengage or interfere with what may be placed in the vehicle near thedoor. In the other instance (Fig. 3) the bumper 30 in the opening of thedoor 1 and consequent unfolding of the door check serves mainly tosilence the operation by preventing metal-to-metal contact between thehinge knuckles 9 and the shackle 28. Here again it is obvious that acushioning action is also secured with the bumper, because when the door1 is swung further beyond the point of engagernent of the bumper 30-with the hinge knuckles 9, the bumper is compressed and accordinglyoffers yielding resistance to the movement of the door. The maincushioning effect, however, is that secured with the leaf-spring I3which, as shown in Fig. 3, is subjected to a strong pull in the movementof the door from full line position to the dotted line position, tendingto straighten out the spring. This action occurs near the limit ofopening movement of the door when, as can be seen from Fig. 3, the dooris in a position where it exerts considerable leverage, which, however,is adequately offset by the resistance of the bowed leaf-spring, whichrequires a heavy pull to straighten it. In passing, I would mention thatthe adjustable threaded connection between the parts 24 and 2'! is ofadvantage in the application of the door check to the door, because itpermits locating the bumper 30 at the proper point for engagement withthe hinge knuckles and also locating the pivot H5 at the same time toobtain best operation of the device.

The gooseneck part 21 of the link l4 carries an adjustable set screw 3|threaded in a transverse hole 32 provided in the part 21 next to theinner end of the stem 26. A lock nut 33 threads on the screw 3| and jamsagainst the part 21 when tightened to hold the screw in adjustedposition. When the door is opened, the screw Si is so adjusted that thehead thereof will come into engagement with the hinge member I I on thepillar 8 after the bumper 30 has engaged the hinge knuckles and beensubjected to a certain amount of compression as a result of the furtheropening movement of the door. In other words, the screw serves as apositive stop to limit the compression of the bumper 30 and prevent itfrom being squashed. Incidentally, the screw 3| will also insure keepingthe pivot 15 from reaching a position too close to a line passingthrough the pivots l6 and IT, which would be objectionable for thereason that it might give rise to some difficulty in the closing of thedoor. Obviously if the pivot 15 were allowed to reach a deadcenterrelationship with the pivots l6 and IT, or any position too closelyapproximating such relationship, there would be difficulty in closingthe door. It is clear from the showing in Fig. 3, wherein the pivot I5is spaced amply from a line joining the pivots l6 and H, that the doorcheck will fold or jack-knife comparatively easily when the door isbeing closed. I have found that the addition of the screw 3! materiallystrengthens the door check and avoids danger of breakage at thegooseneck 21 when the door is swung open violently, placing an unusuallyheavy load upon the door check parts.

Fig. 6 illustrates a construction in which a different form of gooseneckpart 21 is provided having a U or V bend therein at the end extending tothe pivot IT. This is of two-fold advantage; it avoids interference withthe beading 34 around the inside of the door frame, and it 10- cates thepivot I! in closer relation to the axis of the stem 26, so that the pullexerted on the door check parts when the door is opened is borne more bythe pin l1 and there is accordingly less danger of breakage of thegooseneck part. I have accordingly found it unnecessary with thisconstruction to provide the set screw 3!. However, I may neverthelessprovide a screw like the screw 3i on the gooseneck part 21'.

It is believed the foregoing description conveys a good understanding ofthe objects and advantages of my invention. The appended claims havebeen drawn with a view to covering all legitimate modifications andadaptations.

I claim:

1. A door check comprising two link members pivotally connected togetherat one end and adapted to be pivotally connected at the other end to adoor and door pillar, respectively, adjacent the hinged edge of thedoor, one of said link members being on one of said door and pillarelements and comprising a bowed leaf spring which in the extreme openingmovement of the door is subjected to a pull tending to straighten thesame, whereby to cushion the door at the limit of its movement, and theother link being on the other of said door and pillar elements andhaving an adjustable striker thereon to limit the door opening movementby abutment with a surface stationary with the associated one of thedoor and pillar elements.

2. A door check comprising two members pivotally connected together atone end and adapted to be pivotally connected at the other end to a doorand door pillar, respectively, adjacent the hinged edge of the door, oneof said members being on one of said door and pillar elements and beingof gooseneck form to extend around the edge of one of the associated oneof said door and pillar elements in the opening of the door, when thedoor check members move into end to end relationship from the edge ofone of the door and pillar elements to the edge of the other element,the other door check member being a bowed leaf spring which in theextreme opening movement of the door is subjected to a pull tending tostraighten the same, whereby to cushion the door at the limit of itsmovement, and an adjustable set screw on the gooseneck member arrangedto engage a surface stationary with the associated one of the door andpillar elements at the limit of door opening movement.

3. A door check comprising two link members pivotally connected togetherat one end and adapted to be pivotally connected at the other end to adoor and door pillar, respectively, adjacent the hinged edge of thedoor, one of said members being an elongated bowed leaf spring, and theother member having a gooseneck end remote from the end pivotallyconnected to the leaf spring.

4. In combination with a door, a door pillar, and a hinge comprisingmembers secured to and projecting from the door and pillar and havingpivotally connected knuckle portions on their outer ends, a door checkcomprising a link pivotally connected to the inner side of one of saiddoor and pillar elements adjacent the hinge, a second link pivotallyconnected adjacent the hinge to the inner side of the other of said doorand pillar elements, said links being pivotally connected at their freeends and being long enough to allow opening of the door through nearly180, and a resilient bumper movable with said links into engagement withthe knuckle portions of the hinge members when the door approaches thelimit of opening movement, whereby to cushion the door at the limit ofits movement.

5. In combination with a door, a door pillar, and a hinge comprisingmembers secured to and projecting from the door and pillar and havingpivotally connected knuckle portions on their outer ends, a door checkcomprising a link pivotally connected to the inner side of one of saiddoor and pillar elements adjacent the hinge, a

second link pivotally connected adjacent the hinge to the inner side ofthe other of said door and pillar elements, said links being pivotallyconnected at their free ends and being long enough to allow opening ofthe door through nearly 180, a resilient bumper movable with said linksinto engagement with the knuckle portions of the hinge members when thedoor approaches the limit of opening movement, whereby to cushion thedoor at the limit of its movement, and an adjustable set screw mountedon one of said links and arranged to engage the adjacent hinge member inthe opening of the door to the limit of its movement, whereby topositively limit compression of the resilient bumper.

6. In combination with a door, a door pillar, and a hinge comprisingmembers secured to and projecting from the door and pillar and havingpivotally connected knuckle portions on their outer ends, a door checkcomprising a link pivotally connected to the inner side of one of saiddoor and pillar elements adjacent the hinge, a second link pivotallyconnected adjacent the hinge to the inner side of the other of said doorand pillar elements, said links being pivotally connected at their freeends and being long enough to allow opening of the door through nearly180, and a resilient bumper on one of said links adjacent the free endthereof arranged to be compressed between the two links of the doorcheck in the closing of the door and also arranged to engage and becompressed against the knuckle portions of the hinge members when thedoor is opened approximately to the limit of its movement.

7. In combination with a door, a door pillar, and a hinge comprisingmembers secured to and projecting from the door and pillar and havingpivotally connected knuckle portions on their outer ends, a door checkcomprising a link pivotally connected to the inner side of one of saiddoor and pillar elements adjacent the hinge, a second link pivotallyconnected adjacent the hinge to the inner side of the other of said doorand pillar elements, said links being pivotally connected at their freeends and being long enough in the aggregate to allow opening of the doorthrough nearly 180, one of said links being of two-piece constructionand the pieces being adjustable relative to one another to vary theoverall length of said link and of the combination of links, and aresilient bumper on the outer end of the adjustable one of said links,arranged to be compressed against the knuckle portions of the hingemembers when the door is opened to approximately its full extent.

8. A door check comprising two link members pivotally connected togetherat one end and adapted tobe pivotally connected at the other end to adoor and door pillar, respectively, adjacent the hinged edge of thedoor, one of said members being a bowed leaf spring, and a rubber bumperblock mounted on the free end of the other member in a position to becompressed between the members in the folding thereof.

9. A door check comprising two link members pivotally connected togetherat one end and adapted to be pivotally connected at the other end to adoor and door pillar, respectively, adjacent the hinged edge of thedoor, one of said members being a bowed leaf spring, the other membercomprising two interthreaded sections adjustable relative to one anotherto vary the length of said member, and a rubber bumper block mounted onthe free end of the last-mentioned member in a position to be compressedbetween the members in the folding thereof.

10. A door check comprising two link members pivotally connectedtogether at one end and adapted to be pivotally connected at the otherend to a door and door pillar, respectively, adjacent the hinged edge ofthe door, one of said link members being a bowed leaf-spring which inthe extreme opening movement of the door is subjected to a pull tendingto straighten the same, whereby to cushion the door at the limit of itsmovement, and a rubber bumper block carried on the free end of the otherof said link members to limit swinging movement of said member byengagement with a surface stationary with the door pillar in the openingof the door.

11. A door check comprising two link members pivotally connectedtogether at one end and adapted to be pivotally connected at the otherend to a door and door pillar, respectively, one of said link membersbeing a bowed leaf-spring which in the extreme opening movement of thedoor is subjected to a pull tending to straighten the same, whereby tocushion the door at the limit of its movement, the other membercomprising two interthreaded sections adjustable relative to one anotherto vary the length of said member, and a rubber bumper block carried onthe free end of the last named link member to limit swinging movement ofsaid member by engagement with a surface stationary with the door pillarin the opening of the door.

12. A door check comprising two link members pivotally connectedtogether at one end and adapted to be pivotally connected at the otherend to a door and door pillar, respectively, adjacent the hinged edge ofthe door, one of said members being an elongated bowed leaf-spring, andthe other member having a gooseneck end remote from the leaf-spring, anda rubber bumper block on the free end of the gooseneck member remotefrom the gooseneck end thereof and arranged to be compressed between themembers in the folding thereof.

- 13. A door check comprising two link members pivotally connectedtogether at one end and adapted to be pivotally connected at the otherend to a door and door pillar, respectively, adjacent the hinged edge ofthe door, one of said members being on one of said door and pillarelements and being an elongated bowed leaf-spring which in the extremeopening movement of the door is subjected to a pull tending tostraighten the same, whereby to cushion the door at the and having agooseneck end remote from the leaf-spring, and a rubber bumper block ona 4 portion of the gooseneck member arranged to strike a surfacestationary with the associated one of saiddoor and pillar elements atthe limit of door opening movement.

14. A door check comprising two link members pivotally connectedtogether at one end and adapted to be pivotally connected at the otherend to a door and door pillar, respectively, adjacent the hinged edge ofthe door, one of said members being an elongated bowed leaf-spring, andthe other member having a gooseneck end remote from the leaf-spring, thegooseneck member having an adjustable pivot piece threaded thereonpermitting variation in the overall length of said member, said pivotpiece having pivotal connection with said leaf spring member, a rubberbumper block on the pivot piece arranged to be compressed between themembers in the folding thereof, and an adjustable set screw on thegooseneck member adjacent the gooseneck end and on the same side of saidmember with the aforesaid bumper block arranged by engagement with asurface stationary with the door pillar to serve as a positive stoplimiting swinging movement of the gooseneck member in the opening of thedoor.

15. A door check comprising two link members pivotally connectedtogether at one end and adapted to be pivotally connected at the otherend to a door and door pillar, respectively, adjacent the hinged edge ofthe door, one of said link members being on one of said door and pillarelements and being a bowed leaf-spring which in the extreme openingmovement of the door is subjected to a pull tending to straighten thesame, whereby to cushion the door at the limit of its movement, and theother link member being on the other of said door and pillar elementsand being constructed so as to permit adjustment of the overall lengththereof, whereby to vary the extent of door opening permitted, and

a set screw on one of said link members arranged to engage a surfacestationary with the associated one of said door and pillar elements atthe limit of door opening movement.

16. In combination with a door, a door pillar, and a hinge comprisingmembers secured to and projecting from the door and pillar and havingpivotally connected knuckle portions on their outer ends, a door checkcomprising a link pivotally connected to the inner side of one of saiddoor and pillar elements adjacent the hinge, a second link pivotallyconnected adjacent the hinge to the inner side of the other of said doorand pillar elements, one of said links being of two-piece constructionand the pieces being adjustable relative to one another to vary theoverall length of said link and of the combination of links in end toend relation, and a resilient bumper carried on one of said linksarranged to be compressed between the links in the folding thereof.

17. A door check comprising two link members pivotally connectedtogether at one end and adapted to be pivotally connected at the otherend to a door and door pillar, respectively, adjacent the hinged edge ofthe door, one of said members being on one of said door and pillarelements and being of gooseneck form. to extend around the edge of oneof the associated said door and pillar elements in the opening of thedoor, when the door check members move into end to end relationship fromthe edge of one of the door and pillar elements to the edge of the otherelement, and a resilient bumper on the outer end of one of said linksarranged to be compressed against a surface stationary with theassociated one of said door and pillar elements at the limit of dooropening movement.

18. A door check comprising two link members pivotally connectedtogether at one end and adapted to be pivotally connected at the otherend to a door and door pillar, respectively, adjacent the hinged edge ofthe door, one of said members being of gooseneck form to extend aroundthe edge of one of said door and pillar elements in the opening of thedoor, when the door check members move into end to end relationship fromthe edge of one of the door and pillar elements to the edge of the otherelement, and a resilient bumper block carried on one of said members andarranged to be compressed between the members in the folding thereof.

19-. A door check comprising two link members pivotally connectedtogether at one end and adapted to be pivotally connected at the otherend to a door and door pillar, respectively, adjacent the hinged edge ofthe door, one of said link members being a bowed leaf spring which inthe extreme opening movement of the door is subjected to a pull tendingto straighten the same, whereby to cushion the door at the limit of itsmovement, a resilient bumper movable with said links and adapted toengage a surface stationary with one of the door and door pillarelements whereby to further cushion the door at the limit of itsmovement, and the other link having an adjustable striker thereonadapted to engage a surface stationary with one of the door and doorpillar elements in the opening of the door to the limit of its movement,whereby to positively limit compression of the resilient bumper.

20. A door check comprising two members pivotally connected together atone end and adapted to be pivotally connected at the other end to a doorand door pillar, respectively, adjacent the hinged edge of the door, oneof said members being on one of said door and pillar elements and beingof gooseneck form to extend around the edge of one of the associatedsaid door and pillar elements in the opening of the door, when the doorcheck members move into end to end relationship from the edge of one ofthe door and pillar elements to the edge of the other element, the otherdoor check member being on the other of said door and pillar elementsand being a bowed leaf spring which in the extreme opening movement ofthe door is subjected to a pull tending to straighten the same, wherebyto cushion the door at the limit of its movement, a resilient bumpermovable with the door check members and adapted to engage a surfacestationary with one of the door and pillar elements when the doorapproaches the limit of opening movement, whereby to cushion the door atthe limit of its movement, and an adjustable striker on the gooseneckmember adapted to engage a surface stationary with the associated one ofthe door and door pillar elements at the limit of opening movement ofthe door, whereby to positively limit compression of the resilientbumper.

GEORGE LA VERNE RUNKLE.

I CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION. PatentNo. 2,l] 9,0"(h. February 28, 1959.

GEORGE LA VERNE RUNKLE.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specificationof the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Pagesecond column, line 15, claim 18, after "members" insert the words beingon one of said door and pillar elements and; line 16, same claim, beforethe word "one" insert the associated; and that the said Letters Patentshould be read with this correction therein that the same may conform tothe record of the tease in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 16th day of May, A. 'D. 1959.

Henry Van Arsdalev Acting Commissioner of Patents.

